Three members of the Pink Panther jewellery gang, who were involved in the biggest jewellery robbery in Japan, were recently sentenced to jail by a court in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. The three members had stolen jewellery from a posh jewellery store in Tokyo during March 2004, including a $27 million diamond necklace and jewellery worth $31.5 million. The police have not been able to trace the jewellery till date.

The court has also issued an order upon the three to either return the 125-carat necklace, two diamond earrings and seven diamond rings, or pay up the equivalent of their total value in Serbian dinars, reports say.

The Pink Panther known to originate from the Balkans, is suspected to be involved in jewellery thefts over $150 million across Europe, Asia and the Persian Gulf.

The three gang members were arrested in Belgrade in 2005 on an international warrant. They were charged in Serbia, following Japan’s approval of having the trial in Serbia. The Serbian court has sentenced Aleksandar Radulovic to six years and nine months in prison, Djordje Rasovic for six years and three months, and Snezana Panajotovic for two years and ten months in jail.